re: All-Around Recommendations for St. John, USVI?

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1. What's the best side of the island to stay on

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If you prefer being around other people, being able to walk to restaurant and bars, the west side.
If you prefer that feeling of having a private island get-away with your own exclusive area for scuba diving, snorkeling, and hiking, the east side.

Rent a Jeep. It will be useful to explore the island at your own pace rather than someone else’s schedule. There is a transportation service that’s basically a pickup with rows of bench seating in the back. It seems to have a fixed route, and that route does not go to the east side.

When we went, we rented an east side house on a small cliff overlooking the water with it’s own private snorkeling area at the bottom of a pathway. The area was dense with coral, but that wasn’t a deal breaker. We could go all day without seeing or hearing another person unless boats would pass. It had a gorgeous view of the other islands from our balcony overlooking a small cliff.

There’s a restaurant in the area of Coral Bay that featured all you can eat grilled lobster one night per week. Place called Aqua Bistro. It was my favorite meal.

Cruz Bay on the west side is where you’ll find most of the night life.